OBJECTIVE: To compare the short-term efficacy of 2 dosages of stretching treatment on the clinical outcomes in infants with congenital muscular torticollis. DESIGN: This was a prospective randomized controlled study. Fifty infants with congenital muscular torticollis who were randomly assigned to 100-times stretching group and 50-times stretching group received stretching treatment for the affected sternocleidomastoid muscle. The outcomes including the head tilt, the cervical passive range of motion, and the muscle function of cervical lateral flexors determined by the muscle function scale were assessed at baseline and at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment. The sternocleidomastoid muscle growth analyzed by the thickness ratio of sternocleidomastoid muscles was measured using ultrasonography at baseline and 8 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Except the ratio of muscle function scale scores, the postintervention outcomes were all significantly improved in both groups compared with baseline (p < 0.05). The 100-times stretching group showed greater improvement compared with 50-times stretching group in head tilt and cervical passive range of motion at 4 and 8 weeks after treatment (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Stretching treatment of 2 dosages may effectively improve head tilt, cervical passive range of motion, and sternocleidomastoid muscle growth in infants with congenital muscular torticollis. The stretching treatment of 100 times per day is likely to associate with greater improvement in head tilt and cervical passive range of motion.

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